Discharge-type ignition device for oil burner

Abstract

A discharge-type ignition device for an oil burner capable of permitting ignition of a wick to be carried out at any optimum position of the wick which is fixed. First and second discharge electrodes are arranged in proximity to the wick when it is raised to a combustion position. An ignition switch is kept turned on in the course of upward movement of the wick for ignition, so that spark discharge is generated between the discharge electrodes toward the wick being raised. The wick is raised to an uppermost position beyond the combustion position every time when the ignition operation is carried out, so that ignition may take place at any optimum position of the wick.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A discharge-type ignition device for an oil burner, comprising: a wick receiving cylinder structure including an inner cylindrical member and an outer cylindrical member arranged so as to be spaced from each other with a space being defined therebetween;   a wick arranged in said space of said wick receiving cylinder structure so as to be vertically movable;   a wick operating shaft rotated for vertically moving said wick;   a discharge electrode means including a first discharge electrode and a second discharge electrode which are arranged for generating spark discharge therebetween sufficient to ignite a raised portion of said wick raised so as to upwardly extend from said space of said wick receiving cylinder structure;   an ignition knob for rotating said wick operating shaft in a wick raising direction; and   an ignition switch operated depending on actuation of said ignition knob;   said ignition switch being turned off when said ignition knob is moved to a wick lowered position and turned on in the course of an upward movement of said wick;   one of said first and second discharge electrodes being arranged in a manner to be in substantial contact with said wick during said upward movement thereof;   and said ignition switch causing said discharge electrode means to carry out said spark discharge during said upward movement of said wick.   
     
     
       2. A discharge-type ignition device as defined in claim 1, wherein said ignition knob is provided separate from said wick operating shaft; said ignition knob turns on said ignition switch at a combustion position at which combustion is carried out as well as in the course of said upward movement of said wick; and   said ignition knob is constantly urged toward an original position.   
     
     
       3. A discharge-type ignition device as defined in claim 2, further comprising a rotation stopper for preventing said wick operating shaft from being rotated beyond an uppermost position defined beyond said combustion position; and a rotation plate fittedly mounted on said wick operating shaft so as to be rotatable about said wick operating shaft;   said rotation stopper being arranged in association with one of said wick operating shaft and rotation plate;   said rotation plate being formed with a holding section for holding said rotation plate on said wick operating shaft to move said rotation plate with said wick operating shaft and a lock section for locking said rotation plate at said combustion position;   said rotation plate having connected thereto a wick lowering spring for biasing said rotation plate locked at said combustion position in a wick lowering direction;   and said wick operating shaft being rotated to said uppermost position beyond said combustion position every time when an ignition operation is carried out, during which said spark discharge is generated.   
     
     
       4. A discharge-type ignition device as defined in claim 2, wherein at least one of said first and second discharge electrodes is arranged so as to be constantly in substantial contact with said wick when said wick is positioned at the combustion position. 
     
     
       5. A discharge-type ignition device as defined in claim 1, further comprising a high-voltage generation circuit for applying, between said first discharge electrode and said second discharge electrode, a high voltage sufficient to permit spark discharge to be generated between said discharge electrodes; a battery means for feeding a DC power to said high-voltage generation circuit through said ignition switch; and   an intermittent switch circuit arranged between said ignition switch and said high-voltage generation circuit so as to be operated at a predetermined cycle for a period of time during which said ignition switch is kept turned on, to thereby permit a current to be intermittently fed from said battery means to said high-voltage generation circuit.   
     
     
       6. A discharge-type ignition device as defined in claim 5, wherein said intermittent switch circuit includes a semiconductor switch arranged in the middle of a connection line through which said battery means and high-voltage generation circuit are connected to each other and a signal generation circuit for outputting an on-off signal to said semiconductor switch at a predetermined cycle for a period of time during which said ignition switch is kept turned on. 
     
     
       7. A discharge-type ignition device as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second discharge electrodes is arranged so as to be positioned in the wick when the wick is positioned at the combustion position. 
     
     
       8. A discharge-type ignition device as defined in claim 1, wherein said second discharge electrode is arranged so as to surround at least one of an upper portion of said first discharge electrode and a periphery thereof; at least one of said discharge electrodes being arranged so as to be constantly in substantial contact with said raised portion of said wick.   
     
     
       9. A discharge-type ignition device as defined in claim 1, wherein said outer cylindrical member of said wick receiving cylinder structure is provided with an upper edge section; said upper edge section being formed with a through-hole by cutting out a part thereof, resulting in a cutout element being formed at said upper edge section;   and said cutout element horizontally extending toward said wick and being bent at a distal end portion thereof so as to vertically extend, so that said distal end portion may act as said second discharge electrode.   
     
     
       10. A discharge-type ignition device as defined in claim 1, wherein said outer cylindrical member and inner cylindrical member are arranged so as to be different in height at an upper end thereof from each other; one of said outer and inner cylindrical members of which the upper end has a larger height having mounted thereon said first discharge electrode through an insulator;   said first discharge electrode being formed at a distal end thereof with a vertically extending parallel section which is parallel to said wick;   and said second discharge electrode being formed at a distal end thereof with a vertically extending parallel section which is parallel to said wick and said parallel section of said first discharge electrode.   
     
     
       11. A discharge-type ignition device as defined in claim 10, wherein at least one of said parallel sections of said first and second discharge electrodes is arranged so as to be constantly in substantial contact with said raised portion of said wick. 
     
     
       12. A discharge-type ignition device as defined in claim 10, wherein at least one of said parallel sections of said first and second discharge electrodes is arranged so as to be positioned in said raised portion of said wick. 
     
     
       13. A discharge-type ignition device as defined in claim 11, wherein said parallel sections of said first and second discharge electrodes are formed to upwardly extend while being upwardly enlarged. 
     
     
       14. A discharge-type ignition device as defined in claim 11, further comprising a guard arranged in a manner to be opposite to said discharge electrode means with said wick being interposed between said guard and said discharge electrode means. 
     
     
       15. A discharge-type ignition device as defined in claim 12, wherein said parallel sections of said first and second discharge electrodes are formed to upwardly extend while being upwardly enlarged. 
     
     
       16. A discharge-type ignition device as defined in claim 12, further comprising a guard arranged in a manner to be opposite to said discharge electrode means with said wick being interposed between said guard and said discharge electrode means. 
     
     
       17. A discharge-type ignition device as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second discharge electrodes is arranged so as to be constantly in substantial contact with said raised portion of said wick. 
     
     
       18. A discharge-type ignition device as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second discharge electrodes is arranged so as to be positioned in said raised portion of said wick.